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Shiba Ujimitsu
Shiba Ujimitsu became Champion upon the death of Shiba Burisagi and retained the position until his death during the Second Day of Thunder. During his time in office, he did great work to bring honor and respect to the armies of the Phoenix Clan. He was reputed to have extraordinary powers, even for the Champion of the Phoenix, though Ujimitsu always denied these rumors. Appearance and demeanor Shiba Ujimitsu was a small and unimpressive man. He did not have the dominating presence of most Clan Champions, and even seemed somewhat uncomfortable with the attention his position brought. But what Ujimitsu did have was the certainty and command of a thousand years of guidance and wisdom. His dress was always traditional, and he always carried his swords, ever ready. He preferred walking to riding, and always wore the same pair of sandals. Ujimitsu often disagreed with the Council of Five, arguing for policy and military changes. He never did so in public, however. Any arguments between the Champion and the Masters always took place behind closed doors. He always speaks with the authority of Shiba, but never speaks ill of the Council in public. In all his years as Champion, Ujimitsu never stopped his sketching. He would often retreat for solitude into the Mori Isawa, attempting to capture the beauty of his homeland. He never showed his work to anyone, however, claiming it was too crude to share. Phoenix p. 87 Abilities Even with the obviously supernatural nature of the Phoenix Clan Champion, Ujimitsu reportedly had powers that even the Phoenix considered unusual. There are those that have said he could move at incredible speeds, travel hundreds of miles within an hour, and even to be in two places at once. Ujimitsu always denied these rumors, though those close to him knew that he enjoyed the mystique that such rumors gave him. Family Ujimitsu once had a family -- a wife and daughter -- though they died early in his Championship. His wife was forced to commit seppuku, and Ujimitsu was forced to kill his own daughter at the ceremony. The girl had cursed the Emperor and the Hantei family, and left her father with no choice but to cut her down. No one present speaks of the event, and only the truly foolish would ask Ujimitsu. Life Training Shiba Ujimitsu was an unremarkable child. He was studious and disciplined, but never outstanding. His main interests were in the arts, primarily sketching and singing, though he was never particularly good at them, nor did he ever share his works with others. He did well in his studies, though not exceptionally so, and had a rather uneventful gempukku. Afterwards, he took an unexceptional post working with a border guard unit of others from his Shiba Bushi class. Phoenix p. 86 Ascension as Champion The morning that Shiba Burisagi died, Ujimitsu was patrolling the southern Phoenix coastline with his unit, when he suddenly collapsed, falling from his horse into the surf. In Ujimitsu's head, a thousand voices instantly filled his head. To those around him, he screamed in agony, in languages that none of his companions had ever heard. He cried out to "his mother" the sun, begging her forgiveness. Most of his patrol thought that Ujimitsu had gone mad, but his gunso knew different. The sergeant had been trained to recognize symptoms just such as these. Once he was well enough to travel again, Ujimitsu was dispatched to Shiro Shiba. There, he was studied by his clan, and it was determined that he indeed held the Soul of Shiba. Soon thereafter, he was confirmed to his new position. The unexceptional bushi who had the week before been on border patrol, was suddenly the commander of all the armies of the Phoenix Clan. Ujimitsu's reaction Needless to say, Ujimitsu was quite surprised with the turn of events. His aspirations in life were mostly to gain the honor of being yojimbo to one of the Isawa Shugenja; becoming protector of the entire clan was far more than he ever dreamed. Additionally, the chorus of voices constantly in his head was a terrible strain. Over the first few days, Ujimitsu began to slip dangerously close to madness, until Isawa Ujina and the other Elemental Masters taught him techniques to calm his crowded mind and to harness the power of the wisdom he possessed. With the guidance of the Council and the wisdom of those before him, Ujimitsu became an amazing leader. He learned the secrets of using observation to assess the weaknesses of others -- either to correct them in his own men, or to exploit them in his adversaries. He managed to restore the respect of the Phoenix Clan's military, damaged not only by the clan's noted pacifism, but also by the disastrous Battle at Fate Gorge. Death Ujimitsu died in 1128 on the Second Day of Thunder. He aided Master of Earth Isawa Tadaka in killing the severely tainted Master of Fire Isawa Tsuke, but was mortally wounded in the process. Tadaka distracted Tsuke while Ujimitsu struck him down, but the Champion was lit aflame by the dying Master and he fell from the walls of Otosan Uchi. On the ground below, as he lay dying in the arms of Shiba Tsukune, he whispered seven words into her ear and then passed away. The Soul of Shiba and the Championship passed to Tsukune, and Ujimitsu was one of the voices guiding her from then on."The Last Master"Lion Clan War Novel pp. 212-214 Endnotes Category: Phoenix Clan Leaders